Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Perry Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Perry, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Perry households is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Perry County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,796,352 | 282,182 | 1,447,260 | 663,450 | 112,270 | 7,204 | 31,146 |
| 2024 | 2,785,913 | 276,598 | 1,396,275 | 685,083 | 111,416 | 6,155 | 32,085 |
| 2023 | 2,698,411 | 278,621 | 1,389,291 | 717,601 | 111,540 | 6,964 | 44,558 |
| 2022 | 2,710,114 | 282,625 | 1,337,240 | 742,118 | 105,147 | 5,282 | 41,959 |
| 2021 | 2,677,533 | 267,454 | 1,287,322 | 760,867 | 109,832 | 4,867 | 46,436 |
| 2020 | 2,656,062 | 251,472 | 1,254,850 | 776,616 | 113,900 | 4,554 | 41,326 |
| 2019 | 2,634,591 | 235,490 | 1,222,377 | 792,365 | 117,969 | 4,241 | 36,216 |
| 2018 | 2,592,386 | 225,476 | 1,198,450 | 806,761 | 128,110 | 2,197 | 35,172 |
| 2017 | 2,598,275 | 222,650 | 1,158,937 | 790,353 | 127,198 | 2,225 | 35,586 |
| 2016 | 2,551,248 | 209,719 | 1,133,797 | 805,822 | 125,583 | 1,639 | 34,565 |
| 2015 | 2,549,385 | 200,754 | 1,103,995 | 837,082 | 141,835 | 2,117 | 38,034 |
| 2014 | 2,528,694 | 198,296 | 1,087,741 | 858,758 | 148,256 | 1,760 | 36,886 |
| 2013 | 2,516,052 | 195,799 | 1,086,074 | 870,064 | 148,597 | 1,408 | 33,941 |
| 2012 | 2,530,063 | 188,880 | 1,046,982 | 936,674 | 145,089 | 1,484 | 31,494 |
| 2011 | 2,516,883 | 178,387 | 1,019,764 | 973,749 | 137,625 | 1,545 | 28,259 |
| 2010 | 2,530,446 | 177,562 | 997,925 | 993,832 | 126,074 | 597 | 29,423 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Perry
Fuel oil has become less frequently used in Perry. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of homeowners using oil declined from 790,353 to 663,450, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Perry
Between 2017 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 222,650 to 282,182, a 27% change. Comparing 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,598,275 to 2,796,352, a 8% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Perry
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Perry. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 1,158,937 to 1,447,260, a 25% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Perry
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. Now, 7,204 homes in Perry are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 224% gain from 2017, when 2,225 homes utilized active solar heating.
Perry County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Perry County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Perry’s overall number two heating oil consumption fluctuates annually depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Perry was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Perry County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Perry County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Perry households heating with oil, picking which of the 11 heating oil companies that serve Perry is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 12 “full-service” oil companies that serve Perry. Full service companies such as Suburban Propane or WC Eshenaur & Son Inc offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Some of the 2 Perry cash heating oil companies serving Perry include Lisi Oil Co and Marstellar Oil & Concrete Inc.
Perry Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Perry: 11 companies .
Average Number of Perry Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 60314
Perry Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 households in Perry heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Perry temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Perry homes rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Perry County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Perry County Households | Perry County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
36 Perry Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 507,486,889 gallons of oil delivered to Perry households during this past winter, the Perry community looks to its 36 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Perry, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Perry and the surrounding area.
